Turn holiday shopping into travel points (and a $50 bonus)

November is almost here, which means one thing — lots of shopping deals will be coming your way over the next month or two. And while purchasing an item on sale is always great, it’s even better if you can take your savings a step further.

That’s where Rakuten comes into play. Rakuten is an online shopping portal that allows you to earn cash back or travel rewards on everyday purchases. Best of all, new members can earn a $50 welcome bonus after spending $50 within the first 90 days of signing up.

New members sign up here for $50 from Rakuten

But before getting into the nitty-gritty of how Rakuten works, let’s start with its latest promotion, which just launched today: The Holiday Big Deal Reveal.

With this 10-day promotion, you can earn increased rewards at many popular merchants (more than you would otherwise). Each day will have a different merchant bonus, allowing you to earn up to a 30% return.

So here’s everything you need to know about how Rakuten works, The Holiday Big Deal Reveal bonus offers, and how to earn $50 as a new member.

The holiday gifts that’ll get carried everywhere

FROM OUR PARTNERS AT QUINCE Every holiday list has that one person who’s always heading somewhere, and they’re notoriously hard to shop for. Quince takes the guesswork out with ​high-end travel gear without the traditional luxury markup​: sleek polycarbonate carry-ons, Italian leather toiletry bags, and roomy weekenders made for quick getaways. Fair warning: shopping for them has a way of turning into shopping for yourself. A Nappa leather RFID-blocking passport holder or a set of compression packing cubes makes a pretty convincing case for an early gift to you. And with ​free shipping and 365-day returns​, there’s no risk either way.

Shop Quince

Starting today, November 1, Rakuten is increasing its cash back rate at one retailer each day for 10 days. If you were already planning to shop at any of these retailers, make sure to mark your calendar.

For example, everyone in my family is in need of a few new pairs of shoes, and we've already picked them out from Foot Locker. With an elevated 25% cash back offer tomorrow, this is a great opportunity to earn extra rewards on a purchase I was already planning to make.

I’ve already priced out my purchases, and what should be $399.98 in total (assuming the sale pricing stays the same) will result in 10,000 Bilt Points (since I have Bilt status).

Or, if I had my account set up to earn cash back, that would put nearly $100 back in my pocket — which is quite significant.

And with the Rakuten Chrome extension installed, when I go to check out, the site will automatically populate any eligible promotion codes. And yes, I already compared pricing against other sites to ensure the pricing aligns… which it does.

Rakuten is a free online shopping portal that partners with more than 3,500 popular retailers, like Backcountry.com, Sephora, Nike, Macy's, Expedia, and more, allowing you to earn rewards every time you shop. It allows you to earn cash back or travel rewards in the form of American Express Membership Rewards or Bilt Points on eligible everyday purchases.

Instead of going to the retailer’s website directly, you start at Rakuten.com, its mobile app, or the Rakuten Chrome browser extension.

When you click through Rakuten to make a purchase, it tracks the sale and rewards you with a percentage back. You're then taken directly to the retailer's website and continue your shopping experience as you would normally. The shopping experience and prices remain exactly the same. The only difference is that you’re now earning cash back, Amex Membership Rewards points, or Bilt Points.

Getting started with Rakuten is quick and simple:

• Click on a referral link to create a free Rakuten account.
• Select your earning preference: cash back, American Express Membership Rewards points, or Bilt Points.
• Spend $50 or more through Rakuten within the first 90 days of signing up to qualify for the $50 sign-up bonus.

Remember that you must use a ​referral link​ to get this $50 offer, so you can either use ours here at Points Path (and we greatly appreciate it if you do), or you can ask your friends and family who already use Rakuten for one.

It's as simple as that. Your cash back will typically appear in your account within a few days, although some retailers can take a few months to confirm a purchase.

And to make sure you're never missing out, you'll want to install the Rakuten Chrome browser extension. Then, every time you're on a partner retailer's site, you'll receive a small pop-up reminding you to activate your rewards. It'll also inform you of any coupon codes or promotions, allowing you to stack your savings.

For frequent online shoppers or travelers booking flights and hotels, this tool ensures you never miss out on extra cash back or points. Just note that Rakuten pays out quarterly, so you won't receive a check or a transfer of points after every single purchase.

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Most Rakuten shoppers opt for cash back, but for those who understand the value of points and miles, there's an even better option: earning Amex Membership Rewards or Bilt Points.

Here’s what that means: If a retailer offers 15% cash back, you can instead earn 15 Amex Membership Rewards for every dollar you spend. This means if you spend $100 at that specific retailer, you'll earn 1,500 points.

With Bilt, the conversion rate depends on your elite status. Blue members earn 50 Bilt Points for every dollar earned in Rakuten cash back, while Silver members and above earn 100 points.

Both points currencies hold incredible value, as each program allows you to transfer points to a wide range of travel partners. With Amex, points can be transferred to 20 travel partners, including Aeroplan, British Airways, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, and more.

Bilt, on the other hand, partners with 27 travel partners, including Marriott Bonvoy, World of Hyatt, IHG One Rewards, United, Southwest, JetBlue, Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, and many more.

If you value either Amex or Bilt Points at around 2 cents apiece, the 1,500 points earned are worth $30. If you prefer to earn cash back instead, that same purchase will earn you $15 in cash back.

When signing up with Rakuten, your account will automatically be set to cash back. If you prefer to earn points, you'll need to change your earning preference in your account settings. You'll then need to connect your Amex or Bilt account. Only cash back earned going forward will convert to points, not cash back that has been previously earned.

Rakuten is one of the easiest ways to earn extra rewards on purchases you're already making. Between the $50 new member bonus and the elevated cash back offers, there's really no reason not to take advantage of it.

And for travelers, the Membership Rewards and Bilt option is especially appealing. Everyday purchases can turn into airline miles and hotel points, helping you get closer to your next trip without spending anything extra.

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